Gender and authorship of publications from Pediatric Acute Lung Injury and Sepsis Investigators (PALISI)

Abstract

Introduction: Pediatric Acute Lung Injury and Sepsis Investigators (PALISI) is a network fostering clinical research to optimize care for critically ill children. We aim to examine the efforts of the PALISI Network to increase gender parity in research, as evidenced by authorship.

Methods: The first and senior authors of all published PALISI articles from 2002 to 2021 were analyzed for gender of presentation. Funding sources, impact factors, professional roles, and location were extracted.

Results: We identified 303 articles, 61 published from 2002 to 2011, and 242 from 2012 to 2021. There were 302 first authors, representing 188 unique individuals, and 283 senior authors, representing 119 unique individuals. Over half (55.6%, n = 168) of the first authors were women. More women were first authors from 2012 to 2021 (n = 145, 60.2%) as compared to the years 2002-2011 [37.7%, n = 23, OR = 2.50 (95% CI: 1.40, 4.45, p = 0.002)]. Senior authors were 36.0% (n = 102) women, with no change over time. Women senior authors had a higher proportion of women first authors (67.7% vs. 32.4%, p = 0.017). No gender differences were noted based on article type or impact factor. The majority of authors came from institutions in the United States. Women had comparatively more NIH and CDC funding but received less funding from foundations and AHRQ.

Discussion: In PALISI publications, first authorship by women has increased over time, such that it now exceeds both the proportion of women pediatric intensivists and women first authors in critical care publications. Senior authorship by women has been stagnant. A multifactorial approach by individuals, institutions, networks, and journals is needed to bring senior women authors to parity.

Keywords: authorship; critical care; diversity; equity; inclusion; pediatrics; publications.

Figure 1

Number of published papers and percentage of women authors per year: the x-axis shows the calendar year, with the left y-axis having the number of publications and the right y-axis the percentage of women authors. First women authors are indicated by the dotted line, and senior women authors by the dashed line. Below each year, the top box shows the percentage of women first authors in that year, and the lower box shows the percentage of senior women authors.

Figure 2

Papers published by state: this map of the United States depicts the number of articles published with the institutional affiliation of the first or senior author in that state.